"For I was hungry & you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty & you gave me something to drink..."

Sunday, February 5, 2012

Garlic Parmesan Pull-Apart Bread

This past Sunday was the Superbowl. If you didn't know that then you either live in a different country or you're one of the crazy people who don't want cable tv.Yeah I said it- crazy.The thought of giving up cable frankly makes me a bit stabby. And twitchy. And I don't want to think about it anymore.

Directions: In a large mixing bowl, stir together the yeast and water. Let sit 5 minutes until yeast is foamy. Mix in the olive oil, salt, and flour. If you have a stand mixer, attach the dough hook and knead the dough for 5-6 minutes, or until elastic. If you are doing this by hand, knead the dough on a lightly floured surface until dough is elastic, 7-10 minutes. Transfer dough to a lightly oiled bowl and cover with a clean kitchen towel. Allow to rise for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until dough is doubled in size. (i let mine rise for 2+ hours)In a small bowl, combine melted butter, basil flakes, and minced garlic. Set aside.

Punch down the dough. Tear off small pieces of dough (roughly the size of a gumball) coat in the butter mixture, and place in the bottom of a bundt pan. Repeat this process until you have one layer of dough balls. Sprinkle on 1/3 of the Parmesan cheese. Continue layering the dough balls and cheese until you have 3 layers.

Cover the pan with a clean towel and allow to sit until dough has doubled in size, 20-30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350°Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until bread is golden brown. Serve hot with a side of marinara or tomato sauce.The original recipe called for dried parsley- but I used basil instead. I also used kosher salt.This was good dipped in tomato sauce- but I actually preferred it without dipping.I think dipping it in flavored olive oil would be ever better.

Obviously the dough was made from scratch- but in a pinch you could definately sub in some Pillsbury canned dough or even thawed bread dough.